Down in the mouth
When we say that someone is down in the mouth, we mean that they are sad, unhappy, miserable, depressed or dejected.
Examples:
- She has been down in the mouth ever since her son went to university.
- He is very down in the mouth now that he’s stopped working.
We often use “down in the mouth” when we want to describe someone’s unhappy appearance.
Examples:
- Why dies Mum look so down in the mouth today? Is something wrong?
- He always looks down in the mouth when we see him. Perhaps he needs cheering up.
A similar expression is “down in the dumps” (or sometimes just “in the dumps”)
Examples:
- You’re looking down in the dumps today. What’s wrong?
- He’s always in the dumps on Mondays because he doesn’t like going to school.
There are lots of other idioms using the word “mouth”. They include:
To put words into someone’s mouth means to say someone has said something they haven’t actually said.
- I didn’t say that. You’re just putting words into my mouth.
To have a big mouth. Meaning to speak a lot or loudly – perhaps giving away a secret.
- She’s got a big mouth. I didn’t want Dad to know about that.
To shoot one’s mouth off means to boast.
- He’s always shooting his mouth off about what he’s done.
It can also mean to give away a secret.
- Why did you have to shoot your mouth off about what I said, when I told you it was a secret?
To leave a nasty taste in the mouth means to leave an unpleasant impression on someone.
- It left a nasty taste in my mouth when she did that.
By word of mouth. Meaning by spoken word.
- They get most of their business by word of mouth rather than through advertisements.
To make one’s mouth water. Meaning to excite.
- Looking at all that food is making my mouth water.
- His mouth watered when he saw so much money.
A mouthful. A word or name that’s difficult to say.
- In Wales there’s a place called Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. That’s a bit of a mouthful!
Posted by Graham
